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The Jane Austen Book Club [DVD]

1 disc
Region 1 USA/CA (info)

Life imitates art in this adaptation of Karen Joy Fowler's bestselling novel about a book group reading the work of Jane Austen. Each of the people in the group is at a different stage of life: there's Sylvia (Amy Brenneman), whose husband has just left her for another woman, and her daughter Allegra (Maggie Grace), who's looking for a woman herself. Bernadette (Kathy Baker) has six marriages under her belt, while Jocelyn's (Maria Bello) most significant relationship is with her dog. New to the group of friends are Prudie (Emily Blunt), a teacher who is unhappy with her marriage, and Grigg (Hugh Dancy), the group's only man--a sci-fi fan invited by Jocelyn to take Sylvia's mind off her failed marriage. As they make their way through Austen's novels, they discover that the writer's work is just as relevant in the 21st century as it was in the 19th. The group has its own Emma, and a sparring would-be couple bears striking resemblance to Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy.

THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB succeeds largely thanks to the strength of its cast. Bello is better known for dramatic roles in films such as THE COOLER and THE HISTORY OF VIOLENCE, but she does an excellent job with this film's lighter tone. As know-it-all Prudie, Blunt steals just as many scenes as she did in THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA. Though it might seem like a clubhouse with a "No Boys Allowed" sign, the men in the movie hold their own with the female cast. Jimmy Smits, Marc Blucas, and Kevin Zegers play supporting roles, but it's Dancy who deserves the most praise. As Griggs struggles to woo one of the women in the group, Dancy easily wins the heart of the audience with his geeky charm.
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- Rating - for mature thematic material, sexual content, brief strong language and some drug use
Additional Info

Manufacturer Part Number (MPN): 22515
Credits

Maggie Grace, Emily Blunt, Maria Bello, Hugh Dancy, Kathy Baker, Jimmy Smits, Amy Brenneman, Marc Blucas, Kevin Zegers, Lynn Redgrave, Gwendoline Yeo, Nancy Travis, Parisa Fitz-Henley
Critic Reviews

"[A] well-acted, literate adaptation....A tightly knit ensemble piece directed and written by Robin Swicord, the film adroitly shuffles nine characters..."
New York Times
3 stars out of 4 -- "The ensemble cast is strong....Entertaining and, ultimately, endearing."
USA Today
"There's comfort to be had in the plot geometry of the photogenic adaptation of Karen Joy Fowler's 2004 best-seller." -- Grade: B
Entertainment Weekly
3 stars out of 5 -- "Emily Blunt steals the show, wonderful as bookish and buttoned-up 'Persuasion' lover Prudie."
Empire
"[I]t's a superior example of the genre, with high production values, a mostly sharp script and reasonably well-developed characters."
Sight and Sound
"Swicord has a playful sense of humor and a good ear for dialogue..."
Los Angeles Times
3 stars out of 5 -- "[W]ith a charming cast....Encompassing timeless themes of love and friendship, this provides a welcome escape from the grey realities of life..."
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